Bed.



- Patented Oct. 2, I900. N. CLEMENT.

B E D.

(Ipplication filed Ian. 25, who

2 Sheets-She I.

(No Model.)

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No. 658,830. Patanted Oct. 2, I900.

u. CLEMENT.

BED.

(Application filed. Jun. 26, 1900.) (No Mo'dol.) 4 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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' NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON CLEMENT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO M. H. GIBSON, OFSAME PLACE.

BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,830, dated October 2, 1900.

Application filed January 25, 1900. Serial No. 2,712. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NELSON CLEMENT, of Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in beds; and it has for some of its principal objects to provide a simple inexpensive construction in which the bottom or beddingsupport is of the suspension typeand consists of a flexible sheet or web, preferably of woven fabric, such as canvas, readily removable for cleansing, repair, or renewal; to provide a construction which is convenient of use and at the same time forms a comfortable and sanitary bed, which is especially suitable for children; to provide a construction in which the weight of the bedding and the bedbody aids in keeping the bottom taut and against sagging, and in general to provide a simplified and improved construction of the character referred to.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and will be readily understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a bed embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of said Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof a bath-receptacle attachment.

In the present instance the invention is shown as embodied in the form of a childs cradle; but it is to be understood that the fact that the bed is mounted upon rockers is merely incidental and the invention is in no wise limited to such application, but, on the contrary, may be equally well embodied in stationary beds.

With this explanation I will proceed to describe the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, wherein Thenumerals 1 2 designate as a whole the two end frames,for convenience of description designated the head and foot pieces, respectively, (although in this particular instance exactly alike in structure,) each end frame comprising the usual pair of cornerposts 3, mounted in this instance upon a rocker 4, which serves to unite the said posts at their lower ends, and a cross-bar 5, extending between the posts at a point intermediate of the height of the latter.

6 6 designate side bars arranged to extend at their ends through suitable apertures 7, located near the upper ends of the cornerposts of the respective sides, these side bars being removably engaged with the cornerposts for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

. 8 8 designate cross supporting-bars arranged to extend across and to rest upon the upper ends of the side bars 6, outside of the corner-posts, as indicated clearly in the several figures of the drawings.

10 designates as a whole a flexible sheet or web, constituting the bed-bottom, said bottom being desirably and as shown herein made of woven fabric, such as canvas, and

having its side and end margins, respectively, engaged with the side bars 6 and cross-supports 8, and being of such dimensions and suitably shaped to depend within the rectangular form outlined by these se veral supports.

In the preferred embodiment shown herein the fabric forming the bed-bottom consists of a generally rectangular main body provided at each end with an extension or flap 11,which is made of suitable width to rest between the corner-posts and of such length as to extend to and engage the cross-supports 8, being for this purpose provided with loops or open ,hems 12, through which the cross-supports are extended. At its side margins said bottom fabric is also provided with extensions or flaps 13, also terminating in hems or loops 14, which are likewise engaged with the side bars 6.

In order to hold the fabric distended, a distending-frame is provided, consisting in the present instance of a pair of end pieces or boards 15 united at their opposite ends by means of pairs of holding-bars 15 16, the two bars of each pair being arranged vertically over each other at the opposite sides of the frame and being located, preferably, in vertical alinement with the side bars 6 of the bed-frame. lhe distending-fraine is as a whole of such length as to fit easily between the end frames or head and foot pieces ofthe bed and is thus held against substantial movement, as best indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

In assembling the bed the side flaps orextensions 13 of the fabric bottom are passed beneath and around the lower holding-bars 16, thence inside of the upper holding-bars 15, and engaged with the side bars 6, as indicated clearly in Fig. l, while the end extensions or flaps 12 are carried up inside of and over the upper edge of the end pieces of the distending-f ame and then engaged with the cross-supports S. The result of this arrangement is that while the distending-frame is supported or suspended by the fabric it nevertheless serves to keep the bottom fabric drawn tight between the lower holding-bars 16, and it will be obvious that the greater the weight of said frame and the load upon the bedthe greater will be the tension on the fabric to hold it stretched fiat and against sagging.

The operation or use of the bed will be enti rely obvious from the foregoing; but it is to be noted that inasmuch as the cross-supports S, with which the ends of the bed-bottom are engaged, simply rest by gravity upon the ends of the side bars 6 and the latter are freely removable from the apertures or bearings in the corner-posts with which they are engaged the canvas may be taken from the frame with the utmost facility, either for the purpose of cleansing or otherwise and with equal facility returned to place. The construction which enables the bottom fabric to be kept taut and free from sagging is obviously an important feature, and a further advantage incident to the construction, especially when used for a childs bed, is that the sides thereof are formed by the stretched fabric, and are therefore soft and yielding, so that danger of the childs injuring itself is reduced to a minimum.

In Fig. 5 is shown an auxiliary feature adapted for use in connection with the bed, consisting of a waterproof lining adapted to be inserted in the bed-body to form in conjunction therewith a bath tub or receptacle. In the preferred embodiment this lining consists simply of a rectangular sheet of waterproof fabric 1'7, preferably of rubber or rubber-coated cloth, provided at each of its four corners with eyelets or grommets adapted to be hooked over the ends of the side bars 6, the sheet being made of suitable size to sag down into the body of the bed to form a suitable water holding receptacle conforming more or less closely to the interior of the bed. In order to enable the liquid to be drawn ofi from the bath-receptacle thus formed, an outlet-pipe 18, consisting, preferably, of'a piece of flexible hose provided with a suitable cock 1.), is arranged near one corner of the waterproof sheet in position to register with one of the openings, as 20, formed at the juncture of the side and end extensions of the bed-bottom fabric, so that said discharge-pipe may depend therethrough when the lining is in position.

WVhile I have herein shown and described what I deem to be a preferred embodiment of myinvention, yet it will be understood that it may be otherwise embodied without departure from the invention, and I do not therefore wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown, except as made the subject of specific claims.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a bed, the combination of rigid head and foot frames, side bars extending between said head and foot frames and detachably connecled therewith, cross-supports removably connected with said side bars and forming in conjunction with the lattera rectangular'snpporting-frame, a rectangular flexible sheet or web forming a bed-bottom, and provided at its side and end margins with extensions detachably engaged with said supporting-frame, and a distending-frame connected with said bed-bottom and constructed to fit closely between the rigid head and foot frames, and to be thereby held against substantial movement, substantially as described.

2. In a bed, the combination with a rigid bedstead-frame, of a flexible sheet forming the bed-bottom, detachahly engaged at its sides and end margins with said frame, and a distending-frame of skeleton or open construction constructed of a length to fit closely between the head and foot portions of the bedstead-frame, whereby it is held against substantial endwise movement, with which distending-frame the bed-bottom is engaged to hold it distended below its points of attachment, substantially as described.

3. In a bed, the combination with the head and foot pieces, the side bars removably engaged with bearings in said head and foot pieces respectively, the cross-supports resting upon said side bars, the flexible-sheet bedbottom provided with side and end extensions terminating in loops engaged with the side bars and cross-supports respectively, and the distending-frame comprising end pieces connected by the upper and lower holding-bars, around which the side extensions of the bedbottom are carried, as and for the purpose described.

NELSON CLEMENT. Witnesses:

FREDERICK O. GOODWIN, ALBERT H. GRAVES.

IIO 

